Aqueduct Saturday

In the first, Awesome Charlie (10-1) moves way up in class for Scott Volk. This barn scores at 33% over the last two years with horses moving up at least 50% in claiming price. This one is moving up more than 150%, coming off a win for 7500 off a move up in class at the Meadowlands. He defeated favored Blazenbare, a Levine horse coming off a 12 length win, after a stretch-long battle. Son of Indian Charlie is two-for-two since switching to two-turn fast dirt races, and achieved a career high Beyer in his last. Comes off a series of half-mile breezes, nice post, set for further improvement for barn coming off a solid 2009 (24%). I think we can dismiss the latest effort by Blazing Taurus (12-1) in the slop against better. Prior to that was a pattern of improvement, and some nice two-turn lines against better at Monmouth last summer. Frazil (7-2) is four-for-four around two turns, at Finger Lakes and Tampa, and ships in for Linda Rice.

In the 7th, French Song (7-2) takes a drop in class for trainer Mitchell Friedman, looking to bust out of an 0 for 20 slump going back to closing day at Saratoga. This five-year old daughter of French sire Silic was on the improve when claimed for 16K by Friedman off a four length win. The trainer moved her up confidently, to 35K, where she missed by less than three lengths despite a horrible start and a sweeping six wide move turning for home. In her last, she ran 4th in a Starters Handicap behind three horses who could each be odds-on in this race in my opinion. This mare seems well-spotted here. Liza Lu (6-1) was running some fast races on fast dirt before encountering synthetics and slop in her last three; Cody Autrey barn has cooled off here after a fast start, but well-worth keeping an eye on coming off a 27% win rate in 2009.